It is said
of a person who has been under the sweltering sun that he is sancochao
- blistering hot or "stewing." This Puerto Rican stew best illustrates
the one-step cooking method, a typical food preparation that has
prevailed for five hundred years in Puerto Rican homes, primarily
because it allows the latitude for batch cooking a nutritious
meal in a single pot.

Preparation
In
a large caldero, over low-to-medium heat, combine olive oil,
garlic, and onions, stir until beef is brown on all
sides and onions begin to caramelize. Fold in chopped pepper,
celery, aji dulce, cilantro, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and 1 quart
of beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or so, then cook on high until until stock is reduced by half.

Stir beef,
then fold in all the remaining vegetables and beef stock. Continue
to cook until meat is tender and the vegetables soft. You might need to add a bit more water to get it just the way you like it. Sancocho is a thick soup.

Serving
Suggestions: Since this soup contains beef and vegetables,
it is hearty already. Serve alongside a freshly baked french bread
and use the bread to soak up some of this delicious flavor.